Japanese Tire Demand Volume Ends Year Down 4%

Domestic demand for tires is expected to amount to 118.55 million tires for 2015, 4 percent fewer than the previous year, according to the Japan Automobile Tire Manufacturers Association (JATMA). The decrease was caused by lower vehicle production volume. The forecast for 2016, meanwhile, calls for a 1 percent annual increase to 119.2 million tires. ■ Assumptions behind the demand…